Combined flashlight and bulb remover



July 29, 1941.

w. B. MAsLANn COMBINED FLSHLIGHT ANDBULB REMOVER Filed July 6, 1939 Patented `Fuly 29, 194iKA STATES PAT ENT OFFICE COMBINED FLASHLIGHT AND BULB BEMOVER Walter B. Masland, Millburn, N. J., vassigner to Tung-Sol Lamp'Works Inc., Newark, N. J., a comorationoi Delaware Application July 6, 1939, Serial No. 282,989

4 Claims. ,(Cl. 294 20) invention will hereinembodying the invention; and

Fig. 2 is a sectional view through one end of the flashlight and bulbremoving means. l

Referring to the drawing I have illustrated the invention as embodied in a iiashlight I of con-4 ventional shape and embodying at o'ne end a conventional reector 2 and flashlight bulb 3, and embodying within the interior thereof a conventional battery element t.

The end of the ashlight opposite the end containing the flashlight bulb 3 is provided with a closing cap designated generally by the numerall 5, which closing cap, as will be described, functions both to retain .the battery element 4 within the casing of the flashlight and as a convenientand eifective tool whereby a miniature incandescent bulb 6 may be readily removed from a headlight reector 1. The closing cap 5 comprises an inner substantially rigid or non-yielding disc-like cover plate 8, which is dished inwardly to provide a concave surface toward the left and integrally formed with this member 8 is an annular sleevelike portion 9, the latter being secured 'to the casing of the flashlight in any suitable manner. as for example by being screw-threadedly attached to the end of the housing as' shown. 'I'he inner cap element 8, 9 is housed in an outer cap member I0 of rubber or the like, the annular Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a ashlight I0 of the closing cap preferablyprojects beyond the metallic sleeve I2 when the cap is infthe closed position, as indicated in the drawing, and

this sleeve part I0' is indicated as being somewhat thicker than the disc part I I and 'thjis is the preferred construction, although not essential.

'Ihe operation of the ashlight i .as a bulb removing tool is indicated in Fig. 1. For this puri pose the flashlight I is gripped by the hand and the stretchable gripping disc I I of the closing cap is' pressed tightly against the bulb 6 lwith the pressure being indicated by the arrow I5. The disc II is thereby stretched and put under ten. sion. but is reinforced by the concave element 8 as a base. With the flashlight in that position and pressed tightly against the bulb 6. as indicated in Fig. l, with the rubber-like disc II rmly gripping the bulb, it is only necessary to apply Y sufliclent rotary movement tothe flashlight i-I as indicated vby the arrow I6 to disengage the v bulb 6 by releasing the bayonet joint or the-equivalent lock with the bulb mount. 'I'his may be vdone with great lfacility because the cap 5 is of a 'construction and material to hand grip for applying the needed pressure both axially and rotationally for unlocking and disengaging from the mount the bulb 6 which is portion I0' of the rubber c'ap I0 iirmly gripping the screw-threaded part 9 of the inner cap member. The rubber cap I0 is preferably of soft, flexible, resilient rubber, and particularly the end disc portion II thereof. In the particular embodiment shown the casing of the flashlight I is made of molded insulating material and is provided with a metallic shell sleeve I2 at the end which is screw-threaded for receiving the screwthreaded part 9 of the inner cap, this innercap 8, 9 being preferably of metal such as copper and the like. The closing' cap B carries a conventional spring I3'for engaging the battery element 4 and holding it in position, etc. Thesleeve part often locked and held very tightly. Moreover. since the bulb may be' removed without the operator engaging the bulb with his hand, the danger of injury or cutting the hand with a broken bulb is entirely eliminated. Also, as indicated, there is no slippage between the rubber cap and the metallic cap 8, 9,.there being a fast holding bond between these parts notwithstanding the fact that no sealing composition may be used between these elements. .Likewise there is a secure bond between the rubber II and the glass bulb in the act of removing the bulb 6 from the reflector which enables the desired twisting force to be applied to the bulb 6 in order to remove it no matter how tightly locked. It is also observed that the 'flashlight in outwardappearance does -not diifer from the conventional flashlight notwithstanding the incorporation therein of the bulbl removing feature. Moreover, this feature is incorporated in the ashlight without necessitatingany substantial increase in l I claim:

1. In a bulb removing tool for mini-aturejbulbs employed in headlights and the like, a handle, a rfixed rigid member mounted on one .end of said handle and comprising a rigid noneylelding disccost.

like plate, the latter being dished out to `provide.

rmly grip the bulb 5.- and the body of the nashlight forms a convenient a. concave surface. and a rubber-like element having a sleeve part also xedly mounted on said handle and closely surrounding said rigid member and an integral central disc part bridging said concave surface, said central disc part engaging the periphery of the disc-like concave plate and normally spaced from but stretchably conforming to and engaging the concave surface of the plate as a base support when the tool is pressed against the rounded end of a headlight bulb, said rubber element and said rigid element thereby forming a means for firmly engaging and rotating the bulb for removal thereof from the headlight.

2. A bulb remover comprising in combination av cylindrical gripping member, a closure for one end thereof comprising an inner metal cap threadedly secured to said member and anouter cap of elastic rubber-like material, the annular portions of said outer cap firmly engaging the annular portion of said inner cap, said inner cap having a rigid surface portion concave toward the disc portion of said outer cap and serving as a backing therefor when said closure is pressed against a bulb for removal thereof by frictional engagement between the bulb and the elastic disc portion of the outer cap.

3. A bulb removing tool comprising a handle, a

composite bulb engaging part carried by the handle, said part being formed with a concave rigid gripping surface facing outwardly, and with an outer rubber-like element mounted so as to bridge. -the concave surface but adapted to stretchably and disengaging the same from its socket, said rubber-like element of said composite bulb engaging part `.comprising a sleeve part surrounding the handle and fastened thereto and a disc part which is made of thinner material than the sleeve part.

4. A bulb removing tool, comprising a tubular handle, a rigidv member mounted on one end of said handle andv having a concave surface facing outwardly and a rubber element having a sleeve part mounted on said handle and a central disc part bridging said concave surface and adapted to stretchably conform thereto when in engagement with a bulb, said rubber element and said rigid element together forming both a composite closurefor said handle and a means for frictionally engaging the end of a bulb for removal thereof.

f WALTER B. MASLAND. 

